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Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

UPDATED! Version 3 See Post #66Version 2 See Post #41

BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA)

Euskal oiloa first came into being as a natural breed evenly distributed across farms of the historical territories of Bizkaia, Araba and Gipuzkoa of the Basque Country (Euskal Herria) of Spain. Recovery and preservation of this breed began in 1975 when Dr. Fernando Orozco and his team at the Department of Animal Genetics INIA recognized the devastating impact that the use of hybrid laying hens for commercial production of the regionally preferred brown shelled eggs was having on the native breed. Based on this work, Dr. Jose Antonio Mendizabal drafted the spanish breed standard. The introduction of basque fowl into North America is relatively recent and the breed has attracted a following in Canada and the United States as a result of the combination of traits for hardiness, attractive color patterns, a friendly temperament, and good egg and meat producing properties.

ECONOMIC QUALITIESNoted for its vigor and hardiness. A dual purpose medium weight fowl for production of both meat and eggs. Color of skin, yellow; color of egg shell varying from very light to a rich brown depending on the individual, strain and stage of production.

DISQUALIFICATIONS White in the ear-lobes. Shanks other than yellow or dusky yellow.

SHAPE-MALECOMB: Single, medium in size, straight and upright, firm and even on head with five to seven well-defined points. Blade slightly raised from the back of the neckline.BEAK: Strong, vigorous and well curved.FACE: Smooth.EYES: Large and oval.WATTLES: Long, thin and smooth, with a rounded lower edge.EAR-LOBES: Medium in size, lying close to the face, smooth and lanceolate.HEAD: Long and wide.NECK: Moderately long. Hackle abundant and flowing over the shoulders.BACK: Broad, sloping slightly downward to the tail. Saddle feathers abundant and medium length.TAIL: Moderately large. Carried at an angle of 45 degrees (45 °) above horizontal. Main tail feathers broad and overlapping. Sickles of medium length, well arched.WINGS: Large, well-folded and held tightly to the body.BREAST: Broad, deep and well rounded.BODY AND FlUFF: Body fairly developed. Fluff moderate.LEGS AND TOES: Lower thighs strong and robust. Shanks rather long, thick, heavy. Toes four on each foot.

SHAPE-FEMALECOMB: Single, medium in size, straight and upright, firm and even on head with five to seven well-defined points. Blade slightly raised from the back of the neckline.BEAK: Strong, vigorous, nicely curved. FACE: Smooth.EYES: Large and oval.WATTLES: Medium length, thin and smooth, with a well rounded lower edge.EAR-LOBES: Rather small, lying close to the face, smooth and lanceolate.HEAD: Long and wide.NECK: Moderately long.BACK: Broad, sloping slightly downward to the tail.TAIL: Rather small. Carried at an angle of 35 degrees (35 °) above horizontal. WINGS: Large, well-folded and held tightly to the body.BREAST: Broad, deep and well rounded.BODY AND FlUFF: Body fairly developed. Fluff moderate.

MARRADUNA BASQUES

DISQUALIFICATIONS Entirely white feathers in the sickle or main tail feathers or in the the primary or secondary wing feathers.

COLOR-MALE

COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red.BEAK: YellowEYES: BrownHEAD: Plumage, finely barred with white and a dark shade of buff.NECK: Hackle finely barred with reddish buff shading at the base to golden buff with black at the centre of the feathers. Front of neck same as breast.BACK: Barred reddish buff in upper part shading to barred lighter buff towards the saddle. Saddle finely barred golden buff, lower saddle matching lower hackle.TAIL: Main tail alternating bars of black and white. Sickles the same as the main tail with lustrous greenish black. Coverts black and white barring, the white barring gradually turning to buff approaching the saddle.WINGS: Front white and buff barred. Bows white and reddish buff barred. Coverts barred with white and buff. Primaries upper web barred white and black with lower edge of bottom web barred buff. Primary coverts white and black barred edged with buff. Secondaries lower web barred white and buff, this color extending around the feather sufficient to obtain a buff wing-bay and lacing the upper portion if the upper web; remainder of upper web barred white and black.BREAST: White and buff barred.BODY AND FLUFF: Body irregularly barred with white and buff similar to the breast. Stern irregularly and indistinctly barred with white and buff. Fluff ivory.LEGS AND TOES: Lower thighs indistinctly barred with white and buff. Shanks and toes yellow.UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: Ivory

COLOR-FEMALECOMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red.BEAK: Yellow.EYES: Brown.HEAD: Buff.NECK: Golden buff. Lower neck feathers distinctively tipped with black. Front of neck similar to breast. BACK: Buff with faint and indistinct white barring.TAIL: Main tail black, shaft buff, two top feathers may be edged with buff.WINGS: Front and bows buff. Coverts buff. Primaries upper web buff; lower web black with buff edging. Primary coverts black edged with buff. Secondaries lower web buff, wing bay, remainder of secondary black. When the wing is folded in the natural position only the buff color shows.BREAST: Buff with faint and I distinct barring.BODY AND FLUFF: Body buff similar to the breast with faint and indistinct white barring. Stern irregularly and indistinctly barred with white and buff. Fluff ivory.LEGS AND TOES: Lower thighs indistinctly barred with white and buff. Shanks and toes yellow or dusky yellow.UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: Ivory

2012-01-02 03:41:04

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

For good or for bad above represents my best attempt at a breed standard for our beloved EOs. It is formatted as closely as possible to the American Poultry Association (APA) Standard Of Perfection (SOP) 2010 edition. I have some confidence in the breed description which is intended to be a match to the Spanish one just as long as the translation is correct. The marraduna color description will need some work. I found the Spanish one very vague so I used primarily a combination of the SOP description for Columbian plumage (pg 36), and Buff Catalanas (pg 130) and Crele old English game bantams (pg 230). The most interesting find was the Buff Catalanas (aka Prat) as they are a native Spanish breed just like EOs that seem to have lots of similarities in type and color (but without the barring). They were admitted to the APA in 1949. Please take a look at these drawings of them (similar to those in the APA, drawings borrowed from Cafe Press) or google the real thing to see what you think. I believe marraduna EOs to be a columbian lemon cuckoo which you could also call a columbian buff barred. I think the next step to improve on it would be to study pictures or even better a live marraduna EO and compare to the description. The wings are very complicated and pictures of an extended wing might be necessary to get the description correct.

Gorria or the other colors I just don't have the energy to attempt although they should be slightly less complicated than the marraduna.

I have NOT reiterated all the minor defects and major defects (disqualifications) common to all breeds as they are clearly outlined in the APA SOP. Things like side sprigs, split tail, wry tail, roach back, feather stubs, split wing, duck foot, crow head, squirrel tail etc. If there are some of these of specific interest then we can definately further discus them! Some do seem more common to the EO than others.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Wow, talk about thorough That is excellent PG! You have spent a lot of time on this. I agree, I think we need some pics of opened out wings, with a labeled drawing of the anatomy of an opened out wing and the description you wrote to make sense of that part. And maybe the same just for whole birds. Maybe a diagram of a bird and the names for all it's anatomy would be helpful along side an EO. Those Prats don't look like they are far off the body shape.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Nice work indeed PG! Okay so I have read this a few times and looked at some of the pics. I find myself going in and out of the EO coop more than usual and staring, looking under wings, feeling for weight and have only come up with more questions, not answers lol. Now I'm not anywhere near ready to discuss much in regards to the boys ( I think we are farthest away from the standard there), but I was noticing something with them. Since their barring is more obvious than the females, what do you think in terms of "distinctness" and "spacing" should we aim for? Sparkle's is defined and further apart, on another roo it is crisp and close. As for the hens, what "gold" exactly are we looking for- Blondie, or a bit more red? Maybe these are redundant questions, as I haven't had time to look at my SOP, but just some things that crossed my mind as I watched them.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

I have also been starring at my birds more Susan after trying to put this together. I think I am "seeing" more than I did before just because I am aware how complex the color is!

I will try to find a diagram of a bird and a wing indicating the names and locations of the different parts Claire, I am still trying to keep them all straight in fact. I am by myself this week though so I can't take pictures of a marraduna wing stretched out, I don't think that's a one person job! I think that is exactly what we need though, maybe a few different ones for both sexes as I think they vary by bird quite a bit. Anyone have a helper??

Susan a few things about the barring. The crispness and width of the bars (from what I've read) are partially due to whether the birds have the slow feathering gene or not. Barred rocks are supposed to have very clean, crisp bars and they have the slow feathering gene. Cuckoo (dominiques, marans) barring is allowed to be messier and less distinct as these breeds lack the slow feathering gene. Then, on males only as it is sex linked, there is the impact of two alleles (homozygous) vs only one allele (heterozygous) for barring. I know homozygous males are lighter but I am not sure what other differences it makes. I personally think that your boy with the clearer, crisper barring is better looking at the Spanish rooster but I could be wrong. I personally prefer the clean crip bars Edited to add the barring is much more like the cuckoo (wider) than the barred like the barred rock. That said the cuckoo barring is not as messy as I have seen in some EOs so I think cleaner barring is preferable.

Hen color you ask a very good question. This one has me stumped somewhat. If you look at different breeds of "buff" birds there is quite alot of variation in what color buff can be. And the brief translated description for gorria and marraduna EOs mentions orange red, chestnut, brown but never buff so I really am not sure. I think the blondies are too light, that they are supposed to be a bit more brown with light orange red in the hackles. I just couldn't find anything in any of the recognized breeds like that. And describing the barring of the hens was also really challenging as again there is nothing similar in the SOP. If you google the catalanas some of them looked quite brown to me and they are described as buff in the SOP. edited to add also google New Hampsire chickens, the females are described as "medium chestnut red". Maybe that is a better description.

I see I missed describing the female shanks and toes as well...

After some more tweaks we would really benefit from showing this description along with some birds to an APA judge to get some feedback and assistance I think.

And with all these ccomplicated colors we must somehow make sure we focus first on type as "you must build the barn before you worry about the paint"

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

How about calling it like they do in the Spanish standard that the marraduna colour is Gorria with white bars added? I think that the base colour is closer to the New Hampshire then Catalans. The Blondies are lighter then the Marradunas. You did a lot of work on this project. Thank you! What does "lanceolate" mean? I keep picturing a knight in shining armour!

Herd of Brown Swiss, a few sheep, red cuckoo basque, Silverspangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben, ameraucanas(EE), Welsummer, broodie silkies and a few more heritage hens

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Awesome PG. DH says he'll help me tomorrow night with the If anyone gets them up before fine, but I can do a few birds. As good as these guys are, I'd say 2 person is the way to go!

I'll do Specky or Curly cos I know they are mature and maybe a 18 month old mid coloured female, not Blondie. I may do Sonny Jim too cos I think he's good colour and another young female I think is a good colour and I think is laying as well now.

I honestly think there's a range in the hens. I think Blondie is too light, in my mind it's golden syrup coloured they should be. Good question on the barring.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Here are some color definitions from the SOP:Bay-a light golden brownBuff-a medium shade of orange-yellow color with a rich golden cast; not so intense as to show a reddish cast, not so pale as to appear lemon or light yellow.Chestnut-a dark red-brown plumage color, darker than bay.Fawn-a light brownish tan color.Mahogany-a deep, glowing reddish brown.Wheaton-various shades of the color of wheat. The term is used to describe the plumage color of the females of certain varieties.

But then in the variety descriptions they go and use the words combined such as "reddish bay", "golden bay", "medium chestnut red", "reddish orange", "golden buff", "dark shade of buff", "reddish buff". Please feel free to suggest which descriptions for each section of the male and female sound the closest!

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

lanceolate - (of a leaf shape) shaped like a lance head; narrow and tapering to a pointed apexLance-like.

I just don't think the spanish color description will cut it gubi. Each section of the bird needs to be described in detail for the american SOP by the looks of things. I had real trouble understanding the translation of the color part as well which didn't help. Something about keys and chestnut being clearer in the marraduna

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Pictures are going to be super helpful Claire!

I noticed today that Adonis has white and black bars in his hackle feathers, they are not just black. Quite beautiful actually. And he has quite a bit of black in his wing bar mixed with golden buff but no white (mind you he doesn't have much white in his tail either). I don't think the wing bar is described above. What color of wing bars do your roosters have? Wellies wings indistinct, a muddle of buff, white and black.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

I'll have to have look! I think Specky is a an overall patchwork of white and barred brown. Actually I just uploaded some pics to PB of my young uns. I remembered a great trick for my hens too, you'll see they are all looking at the camera! I'll post them on a couple of threads. The EOs are so hard to photograph outside as they bleach out, but I have better ones from inside.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

New Hampshires, is this closer to the correct plumage color than the buff catalanas (of course both lack the barring and the black in the hackles)

Gubi you might be right...the new hampsire might be closer. Or somewhere in-between maybe? The male NH is described mostly as "deep chestnut red" in the dark parts and "meduim red" or "medium chestnut red" in the lighter parts, hackle "golden bay". Females are described as "medium chestnut red".

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

PG,

This is fantastic work! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

So we are looking for a rich, golden honey colour in our girls, rather than the paler blonde or red/grey that we are getting in some of them. The black tips on the neck hackles are correct, as is some black on the wings. So, the white mottling is not optimal, and the black speckles throughout is not optimal - is this correct?

If we are fairly content with this description as a group, I'd like to start planting some seeds with an APA judge I know and see what he thinks about judging eo's this year based on the description, and understanding that this it would be a "display only" kind of thing, and that we won't yell at him if we don't like his judgements! We could learn a lot about shape, etc. if we can do it....

When all else fails, go spend time with your chickens.

Pens are currently filled with Red Cuckoo (Marraduna) and Red Basque (Gorria) breeders, Spitz, and Seramas.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

This is from one of PG's links and I have no other breed of chickens that look like this. Look at the top of his thighs compared to his breast. I don't know if it is just their upright stance or what it is that makes them look like that.

Herd of Brown Swiss, a few sheep, red cuckoo basque, Silverspangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben, ameraucanas(EE), Welsummer, broodie silkies and a few more heritage hens

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

OK, I did Specky, Sonny Jim, Sunny, The spottiest mother (and one pic of least spottiest Mom wing) , and the biggest honey girl, Goldie. Curly has a sore leg and I didn't want to disturb him, so I use Specky (who was as disgruntled as I've even seen him BTW). You can actually see the separate wing feathers on Specky even though most are white, Sonny Jims are the coolest and most developed for his age, Sunny is still getting some of his feathers as the are not fully mature yet, he was really not happy so his pics aren't as good. As you can see by the body language, all not happy campers. I have a few more pics so if you want more detail on something I can post them but I thought these were the best for now, I did a few cos some things are clearer to see on one than another.

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Lisa wrote:

PG,

This is fantastic work! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

So we are looking for a rich, golden honey colour in our girls, rather than the paler blonde or red/grey that we are getting in some of them. The black tips on the neck hackles are correct, as is some black on the wings. So, the white mottling is not optimal, and the black speckles throughout is not optimal - is this correct?

If we are fairly content with this description as a group, I'd like to start planting some seeds with an APA judge I know and see what he thinks about judging eo's this year based on the description, and understanding that this it would be a "display only" kind of thing, and that we won't yell at him if we don't like his judgements! We could learn a lot about shape, etc. if we can do it....

Lisa, yes everything you said about the color we are looking for is correct if we want to remain consistent with the Spanish marraduna breed standard as best I understand it.

Let's give the description another week or so for discussion and improvement before we think of presenting it to anyone (especially an APA judge ). I can already see some errors/omissions but I want to let the discussion "flow" for awhile and make most of the changes at once. Most of the changes that will need to be made are related to color vs type but still, I would like to try to get it right. So far I think we need to tweak:- add shanks and toes to female description- add that there should be an edging of buff on all female tail feathers- change color of female from buff to ??- male I think I have lots of issues with what should be darker and what should be lighter and what colors to call everything

That said at some point it will need to be shown to a judge to see if we are on the right track. And having a judge help us keep on track for type would be really valuable I think! I'm sure we will get some good feedback on color as well

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

I was looking at the wings of my boys today and their wings look like Sonny Jim's except for big boy who has 3 white primary feathers at the end. But all of mine have grey and white Primaries and tri colored secondaries.

Herd of Brown Swiss, a few sheep, red cuckoo basque, Silverspangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben, ameraucanas(EE), Welsummer, broodie silkies and a few more heritage hens

Re: Topic 1: BASQUE (EUSKAL OILOA) BREED STANDARD

gubi wrote:

This is from one of PG's links and I have no other breed of chickens that look like this. Look at the top of his thighs compared to his breast. I don't know if it is just their upright stance or what it is that makes them look like that.

Gubi I have to admit I have trouble "seeing" type. I am getting better. Do you think the breed description I put together accurately describes the shape of the thighs, body and breast? In comparison to the catalanas the EO description would be similar except maybe the breast would be slightly less prominent and the thighs a bit larger and more robust in the EO. Does that sound about right? I wish we had a drawing or a silhouette of an EO.

And Claire SO much for posting those wing pics! I would imagine your birds were NOT happy. anyone who has time please feel free to suggest changes to the description with those photos as a guide!! I may not have time tonight...5 am comes VERY early.